Matching games



March 3, 1959 F. J, ALLEN, IR 2,876,012

MATCHING GAI/IES Filed Nov. s. 1954v lWELCOME MATCH YOUR INVITATION PIECE FOR YOUR PRIZE" PRIZE LIST l0 Adwrw 30" 54W EW ,QSL 6.1M www HMM-"L F G 5 INVENToR.

FRANK J. ALLEN,JR

ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 2,876,012 MATCHING GAMES Frank J. Allen, Jr., Doravllle, Ga. Application November 3, 1954, Serial No. 466,484 4 Claims. (Cl. 273,-153) This invention relates to a matching game and more particularly to a matching game of the sort using -a game board and separate game elements distributable among several people.

The present game also includes as a novel feature thereof a means for inviting the participants to come in at a central location for a gathering at which the game will be played. Thisv yarrangement has as one form thereof a postal type invitation vcard with a portion or elements -of the game therewith.

There is always a demand for a novel, unique game particularly for use when children gather in groups such as lat parties, school, home, and the like. Such a game is very absorbing if it has some element of suspense and puzzling effort which will get and keep `attention from the group and end in a prize for-each, or nearly each, participant. The present game has all of these attributes and many more.

Generally described, the present game comprises a game Iboard to be located at one place, such asthe party, and having a plurality of individual portions defined thereon as by cutting irregular closed figures therein. A plurality of cards are sent in advance to announce the game and the occasion and each one of the cards has a defined portion thereof substantially identical with at least one of the portions on the game yboard so that the card portion may be physically matched with its `counterpart on the game board. One way of playing the game involves mailing'the individual cards aspostal cards with written invitation thereon to come to the party and to bring the defined card portion. Then at the game each of the game board portions has been marked or otherwise identiied to correspond with a prize list selected ahead of time. After assembling :at the game location the players try and match up their cards to receive whatever prize goes therewith. This description is not a limitation on thescope of my game, reference being made to the claims for such purpose.

A11 object of this invention is to present a game apparatus with parts thereof distributed in advance of the actual gathering for playing the game.

A further object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus where the game board has a number of individual portions and the invitations to come and play the game have matching elements for at least part of the game board.

An additional object of this invention resides in the novel invitation card having 'an element of the game indicated therewith.

Another feature is found in the provision of a small punch out tab on the linvitation card which will act aS a small reminder in addition to being used with the actual playing of the game at the party.

Also an object is the arrangement whereby no particular sequence of matching it necessary although there are a number of positions on the board.

As the more detailed outline of the invention proceeds many objects and advantages will become apparent when ICC preferred form in the game and with a dilerent shape tab shown rev moved.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the back of the game board in Fig. l showing use as a prize tabulation sheet.

Proceeding to elaborate on the general outline of the operation presented above reference is now made to the drawing for a more concise description where it is seen that the game has as one element thereof a game board 10 constructed from paper or the like in single or multiply sheets and the like with a front, ilat surface 12 which may be `decorated in anticipation of the occasion for which the game is played (such as birthday, Halloween, Christmas, and the like) or in the general gaiety of the clown 14, balloons 16, and other humorous text material. Fashioned on the game board front 12 are a number of individual portions designated generally at 18 and identified both as toparticular and peculiar shape.

and/ or some sort of indicia such as letters A, B, C, D, etc., as shown in Fig. 1. The portions 18 may be dened in any preferred manner as by cutting away part of the top surface of the material or removing the top ply in a multiply board 12 or simply by marking the border of the individual portions 18. For the purpose of illustration the portions 18 in the drawings are of obvious individual, irregular and peculiar shape so as to be not too diicult for a child of tender years.

In addition to the game board 12 are a plurality of game cards 20, preferably constructed of heavy or of multiply material, each having space for written or printed text material 21 relative to the occasion and a card portion or tab member 22 which corresponds to at least one of the portions 18 on the game board 12 so that card tab 22 has matching counterpart 18 but without the various card portions 22 or game portions on board 12 being in any manner necessarily dependent upon any interlocking or the like or upon any necessary sequence of matching, that is, any card portion 22 will match up with its counterpart game board portion 18 without the necessity of another portion 18 being in any particular place. In the example -of Figs. 2 and 3, the card 20 has thereon Va card portion 22 corresponding to the ice lcream coneV like ligure F on game boardv 12. YCard portion 22 is formed in the material 20 along weakened lines 24 so that it is easily punched or pulled out from its position.v

The card 20 of the present embodiment is in a preferred form of a novel postal card invitation to a party on the occasion of the childs birthday noted on the card and with a poetic description of what to do with the card as relates to playing the game and having address space 27 and so yforth as is apparent in the drawings. On one side of the punch-out tab or portion 22-F is written the day of the party and on the other side is written the place. Accordingly, the small punch out 22-F is a reminder of the occasion.

Another card 20 is shown in Fig. 4 with its punchout tab or portion 22 actually punched out leaving an opening 28. The portion 22 in Fig. 4 corresponds to the game board portion A and would be matched therewith when the game is played.

Normally the indicia A, B, C, etc. should not be found on the card 20 or card portion 22 since the actual challenge comes from the mental effort required to... realize .the comparison between-.shapes .a1though..the..

game may be simplied further by the indicia or other means if desired. Naturally, such simplicity as shown wo'uldrnot .befat all .attractive-.to anlalult or older,child. so the portions may be made more,sirnilar to.e ach .other.

with .less..distinguishing.characteristics and a time allotment made in order to complicate the game for more of an adult-challenge. .v n t In playing the game the individual. cards vvare.,distrib uted, as by mailing,y toas. manypersons as desired within the limits of the number of positions on theparticular board at hand. vUpon receipt. of the invitation, each personremovcfzs` his particularv and individual tab or portion 22 and retains it and carries it Withhim tothe party, At. some..,tme ink theA stage. of the ,gathering quite ato-.dois made ,and everyonegathers around fonthe matching of .the..pieces... `Aseach `childis ,called forwardin whatever order desired. he .advances to-match hisportionlwith the properplaeeon the. board 10,` The primary importance ofhaving .some .,indiciawith the portions 18 onthe boardlo .is in-,beingable toidentify the portions kwith some prizeaccording .toalist `of prizes which may. be written on the .back 30nofl gameboard 1.0,.as .a l-prizelistlZ. Prizes .are ,then awarded according to -the, pre-selected arrangement.

AThereis noY limit, exceptlconvenience,..insofar asthe.

sizeof the game board 10 and the number of game board portions 18.and the variations in -shapesand sizes ofportions `1S are just .asunlimited Furthermore, the portions 1S may be delned inmany wayson-,the lboard front 12 and likewise the matching portions 22 `could be gumrned stickers as well as the punchfouttabs.

`"[hegame can be usedwith older groups as1 an .in. centiveto get-people together. For example, a lodge or=country club can send out cards.2 0,informing; them thatthefgame is to be played,.at somedance or Ydinner which is announced by the card 20. One prize could be an extremely desirable object` like a televisionsetwhile all others could bein the natureof nominalthings.A

Although I have. shown .anddescribed a prefered form offmy inventionwith details of operation thereof this is not4 tobe construed as anysort of limitationon the extentl'or scope of l,the invention since manymodications, alterations, substitutions, eliminations, and variations may be .made .within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim: A k .1, a p

1. yIn a game apparatus ofthe class described, a game board having a plurality of individually distinctive posif tions independent of each other,v in xed designation4 on said board, .said boardbeing for location on exhibition at,a central location such as a party and a pluralityof individual .and independent game invitationcardsgeach having a distinctive game portion removably connected .therewith and normally carried thereby, said game. por,

tions including a plurality of matching portions having a counterpart among the'distinctive positions on said board with there being identification means on both said game board positions and said matching portions so that they may be compared and identied, each of said cards having a space thereon on which may be placed written material such as the time and day of a party whereby said-cards maybe distributed among several people as. invitations to a gathering and said people will have the pleasure and fun of trying to match their 4card portion with -a-.game-,board .counterpart` 2. In a game apparatus ofthe class described, a plurality of individualand independent card members for dissemination as invitations to a group of people preferably in advance of an anticipated assembly like a game and each card member including an individual irregular closed portion lidyentiiied with; that .particular cardby its readily visible shape, a.-,centr al vgame boa1d-for..loca tion at a place. of assemblyandhavingaA lplurality vof positions with each position thereof defininganfindi.-` vidual closed area of particular shape, Athere being many areas on the game 4board with at ,least someof said. areas corresponding. with a `respective ,matching and identically shaped portion ona respectivecard member comprising the ,closedportions on fthederentcard.

members, and each of the game board positions having identifying, indiciak associated.,therewithto pointtout a prize correspondingwith that particular position,.'and

which is awarded to the person-.matching theclosed.

portionof their card withthe corresponding positionfon the game board in accordancefwith a ypre-arrangedJabulation vof prizes for themany positions,.said,cardsbeing distributable to, individualsas they are` desired to. be informed such as by mailing in advanceof.the occasion so that said cards and said portions may be used as notices and againusedat the occasion.

The device claimedin claim 2 in` which ,the

portions on the individual card members are formed as removable,tab-likemernbers cut fromgthe card material;v

4 The device claimed in claim 2 wherein said card member is a postal `type card land said closed portion of said card is removable therefrom.

References file UNITED STATES PATENTS 

